“ACUE is a marvelous resource for instructors who have not learned how to teach, and to experienced instructors who are trying to improve.”

“It's helpful for faculty to have access to information and guidance on how to teach effectively.”

Dr. Thomas Angelo
Professor of Educational Innovation and Research
UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Email Address

About ACUE

With great teaching, students succeed. Decades of research have identified the specific instructional approaches that help college students engage in their studies, learn more, and graduate in stronger numbers.

ACUE was founded in 2014 by leaders in higher education to promote quality instruction at colleges and universities nationwide. ACUE’s comprehensive Course in Effective Teaching Practices prepares college educators to implement all of the essential practices shown to improve student outcomes. This facilitated, online Course is offered to cohorts of faculty at participating institutions. Educators who satisfy Course requirements earn a Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).

ACUE’s partnerships are designed for impact. Every program adoption includes a comprehensive evaluation to identify the effect of great teaching on student achievement, institutional finances, and other key outcomes. Participating faculty receive unprecedented levels of professional development and support.

Across the country, ACUE is working with dozens of colleges and universities to put great teaching at the heart of their student success agenda.

ACUE’s Course in Effective Teaching Practicesprepares college educators to implement all of the essential practices shown to improve student outcomes. This facilitated, online Course is offered to cohorts of faculty at participating institutions.

Educators who complete ACUE’s Course in Effective Teaching Practices receive a Certificate in Effective College Instruction endorsed by ACUE and ACE. The Certificate distinguishes educators who strengthen their teaching by learning about and putting research-based techniques into practice.

ACUE and ACE’s shared goal is to expand dramatically the use of effective teaching practices to benefit students, faculty, and institutions.

Board of Advisors

Board of Advisors

Molly Corbett Broad

A leading spokesperson for American higher education, Molly Corbett Broad became the twelfth president of ACE in 2008. She is the first woman to lead the organization since its founding in 1918.

Broad came to ACE from the University of North Carolina (UNC), where she served as president from 1997-2006, leading UNC through a period of unprecedented enrollment growth. Due in large part to the success of the Focused Growth Initiative, minority enrollment at UNC grew at more than double the rate of the overall student body during her tenure. She also spearheaded the creation of a need-based financial aid program for in-state undergraduates and the creation of the College Foundation of North Carolina.

Broad held a number of administrative and executive positions at several universities prior to her tenure at UNC. At the California State University system, she served as senior vice chancellor for administration and finance from 1992–93, and as executive vice chancellor and chief operating officer from 1993 until her election as UNC president. Earlier in her career, Broad served as the chief executive officer for Arizona’s three-campus university system (1985–92) and in a succession of administrative posts at Syracuse University (1971–85).

Broad has written and spoken widely on strategic planning for higher education, K–16 partnerships, information technology, globalization and biotechnology. She currently holds seats on the boards of PBS (the Public Broadcasting Service) and the Parsons Corporation. She is past chair of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, past chair of the Internet 2 board of trustees and past president of the International Council for Distance Education.

She has served on the boards and executive committees of the Business-Higher Education Forum; Council on Competitiveness; National Association of University System Heads; and the Centenary Committee for Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

Broad earned a General Motors Scholarship to Syracuse University, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a baccalaureate degree in economics from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She holds a master’s degree in the field from The Ohio State University.

Board of Advisors

Ann Weaver Hart, EdD

President EmeritaUniversity of Arizona

Ann Weaver Hart was the 21st President of the University of Arizona (UA), a role she assumed from July 2012 through May 2016.

At the UA, President Hart successfully led a process to create and implement an integrated strategic academic and business plan that will guide the UA’s future. With the new plan, Never Settle, the UA proclaims its intention to be a super land-grant university that advances the local and global impacts of knowledge creation through partner relationships with communities and industry and via innovative programs. In pursuit of these strategic goals, Dr. Hart led the University to a historic agreement with Banner Health that supports the UA’s Biosciences research initiatives while creating a foundation for statewide excellence in clinical healthcare. With this model of partnership, the University is enhancing the quality of life for the people of Arizona and the world by addressing real-world problems and opportunities as they arise in real time while dramatically affecting the success of American academic medicine.

Dr. Hart came to Tucson from Temple University, where she served as president from July 2006 to July 2012. Previously, she served as President of the University of New Hampshire and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Claremont Graduate University in Claremont, California. At the University of Utah, she served as Professor of Educational Leadership, Dean of the Graduate School and Special Assistant to the President.

In addition to her role at the UA, President Hart is a member of the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the ACUE Board of Advisors, and she is an advisor for the Lincoln Project: Excellence and Access in Public Higher Education at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Hart serves with a number of organizations in and around Arizona, including the Greater Phoenix Economic Council’s Executive Committee and Greater Phoenix Leadership. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, the Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities Chairman’s Circle, the Arizona State Board of Education, the Udall Foundation, and the Board of the Tucson Festival of Books.

Dr. Hart has received various professional and community service awards for her work, including the Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, the Girl Scouts of the USA Take the Lead Award, the Jack Culbertson Award in Educational Administration from the University Council for Educational Administration, and the PoWer Award from the Professional Women’s Roundtable. She was named one of Arizona’s Fifty Most Influential Women by Arizona Business Magazine in 2013, continuing a record of community recognition that includes being named as one of the “Ten to Watch in 2010,” the “Transformer,” and one of the “People to Watch 2007” by the Philadelphia Business Journal, one of the “50 Most Powerful People in Philadelphia” in 2009 by the Philadelphia Magazine, and one of the “Ten Most Powerful People” in New Hampshire by Business New Hampshire Magazine.

President Hart earned three degrees from the University of Utah: a BS and MA in History, and an EdD in Educational Administration. In addition to serving as the President of the University of Arizona, Dr. Hart holds an appointment as Professor of Educational Policy Studies & Practice in the College of Education.

Board of Advisors

Elmira Mangum, PhD

Making history as the first permanent female president in the University’s 127-year legacy, Elmira Mangum, PhD, served as the 11th president of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU). She serves as a Visiting Scholar at the Penn Center for Minority Serving Institutions (CMSI) and the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE). A seasoned administrator, Dr. Mangum has served at the executive level of nationally recognized organizations of higher learning for more than 30 years.

From 2010 until her appointment at FAMU, Dr. Mangum served as Vice President for Planning and Budget at Cornell University. While at Cornell, she was the senior administrator charged with managing the university’s resources and annual budgeting process. As a change agent, Dr. Mangum was credited with leading a dynamic overhaul that helped the university overcome a structural deficit that stemmed from the economic downturn.

Prior to her successful tenure at Cornell, Dr. Mangum served in various administrative capacities for nine years at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, including as Senior Associate Provost. Her extraordinary career in higher education leadership began at the University of Wisconsin Extension Geological and Natural History Survey as an operations specialist. She also held leading positions at the University at Buffalo, where she served as an Assistant Dean, Associate Provost for Resource Management, and Vice Provost.

Dr. Mangum earned her bachelor’s degree in Geography from North Carolina Central University. She graduated with honors from the University of Wisconsin, Madison with a master’s degree in Public Policy and Public Administration and earned a second master’s degree in Urban and Regional Planning. She received a DPhil in Educational Leadership and Policy from the University at Buffalo, where she received distinction for her work on leadership in higher education.

She completed postgraduate training at the Center for Creative Leadership in North Carolina, the Millennium Leadership Institute, the Harvard Graduate School of Education Management Development Program, the National Leadership Forum for Women Administrators, and Cornell’s Administrative Management Institute.

Dr. Mangum’s commitment to public service is exemplified by her serving on numerous boards and organizations, including, but not limited to, the American Association of University Women, the American Council on Education, the Higher Education Resource Services Board of Directors, the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering, Inc., and the United Way Board of Directors – Tompkins County. She is a life member of the National Council of Negro Women and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. She was appointed by US Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack, to serve on the Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee for Trade.

In 2014, Dr. Mangum was named on EBONY magazine’s “Power 100” list. In 2015, the Capital Outlook named her the “Person of the Year” and she received the Trailblazer Award presented by the Oasis Center for Women and Girls. She was also named the “Female HBCU President of the Year” at the 2015 HBCU Awards during the AARP National HBCU Media Week. In October 2015, Dr. Mangum received the Women of Distinction Global Leadership Award in Education from the organization Celebrating Women International.

Board of Advisors

Peter McPherson, JD

PresidentAssociation of Public and Land-grant Universities

Peter McPherson, Chair of the HarvestPlus Program Advisory Committee, is the President of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, the oldest higher education association composed of public research universities, land-grant institutions, and state university systems in the United States. He has previously served as President of Michigan State University, Director of Economic Policy for the Coalition Provisional Authority of Iraq, Deputy Secretary of the US Treasury, Administrator of the US Agency for International Development, and Special Assistant to US President Gerald Ford in the White House.

McPherson is Chair Emeritus of the Board of the International Fertilizer Development Center and founding co-Chair of the Partnership to Cut Hunger and Poverty in Africa. He has formerly chaired the boards of Dow Jones & Company and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

McPherson has been honored with the US Presidential Certificate of Outstanding Achievement, the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Leadership Award, the Department of Treasury’s Alexander Hamilton Award, the UNICEF award for “outstanding contribution to child survival,” the 1983 Humanitarian of the Year award from the American Lebanese League, and the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award.

McPherson earned his BA from Michigan State University He holds an MBA from Western Michigan University and a JD from American University. He serves on ACUE’s Board of Advisors in a pro bono capacity.

Board of Advisors

Barry Munitz, PhD

Chancellor EmeritusCalifornia State University System

Barry Munitz is currently Trustee Professor at the California State University, Los Angeles campus and Chairman of the statewide P-16 Council in California. He served formally as Chancellor of the California State University system, President and Chief Executive Officer of the J. Paul Getty Trust and Chancellor of the University of Houston. He now heads the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Advisory Committee, and chairs the Sierra Nevada College Board of Trustees.

Munitz also serves as a member of the three Eli and Edye Broad Family Foundation Boards (Education, Health and Art), is a corporate director at Sallie Mae and chairs the Finance and Investment Committee for the Cotsen Family Foundation Board. He was Chairman of the American Council of Education Board, served as Vice Chair of the Congressional Cost Commission, and chaired the California Education Roundtable. Munitz gained experience in the business world when he left the University of Houston in 1982 to become a senior executive at MAXXAM, Inc. He remained active in a leadership position at the company and served on its board of directors until he joined the California State University in 1991. He recently completed terms as a Trustee of Princeton University, the Seattle Art Museum, and the Courtauld Institute.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Munitz earned his BA in Classics and Comparative Literature from Brooklyn College before going on to earn his master’s and PhD from Princeton University. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences and holds honorary degrees from Whittier College, Claremont University, the California State University, Rollins College, the University of Southern California, Notre Dame, and the University of Edinburgh.

Board of Advisors

Eduardo J. Padrón, PhD

PresidentMiami Dade College

An American by choice, Eduardo Padrón arrived in the United States as a refugee at the age of 15. Since 1995, he has served as President of Miami Dade College (MDC), and is credited with elevating MDC into a position of national prominence among the best and most recognized United States colleges and universities. An economist by training, Dr. Padrón earned his PhD from the University of Florida. In 2009, TIME magazine included him on the list of “The 10 Best College Presidents.” In 2010, Florida Trend magazine placed him on the cover of its inaugural “Floridian of the Year” issue. In 2011, The Washington Post named him one of the eight most influential college presidents in the United States and he was awarded the prestigious 2011 Carnegie Corporation Centennial Academic Leadership Award. In 2012, he received the Citizen Service Award from Voices for National Service, the coveted TIAA-CREF Hesburgh Award for Leadership Excellence, and the Aspen Institute Ascend Fellowship. In 2015, he was inducted into the United States News & World Report STEM Hall of Fame. Dr. Padrón’s energetic leadership extends to many of the nation’s leading organizations. He is the former Chair of the board of directors of the American Council on Education (ACE) and the board of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. He also served on the American Academy of Arts & Sciences’ Commission on the Humanities & Social Sciences.

President Padrón is widely recognized as one of the top educational leaders in the world and is often invited to participate in educational policy forums in the United States and abroad. In 1993, President Bill Clinton recognized him as one of America’s foremost educators. President George W. Bush nominated him to the National Institute for Literacy Advisory Board and the National Economic Summit. More recently, he represented the United States at UNESCO’s World Conference on Higher Education at the invitation of the Obama administration and President Obama appointed him Chairman of the White House Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans. During his career, he has been selected to serve on posts of national prominence by six American presidents.

Internationally, President Padrón’s accomplishments have been recognized by numerous nations and organizations including the Republic of France, which named him Commandeur in the Ordre des Palmes Académiques; the Republic of Argentina, which awarded him the Order of San Martin; Spain’s King Juan Carlos II, who bestowed upon him the Order of Queen Isabella; and Spain’s Prince and Princess of Asturias, Felipe and Letizia, who presented him with the Juan Ponce de Leon 500th Anniversary award.

Dr. Padrón’s pace-setting work at MDC has been hailed as a model of innovation in higher education. He is credited with engineering a culture of success that has produced impressive results in student access, retention, graduation, and overall achievement. MDC enrolls and graduates more minorities than any other institution in the United States, including the largest numbers of Hispanics and African-Americans. He is nationally respected for his advocacy on behalf of underserved populations in higher education, and his in-depth research report, “A Deficit of Understanding,” highlights the funding crisis that threatens access for low-income and minority students. Dr. Padrón has also championed innovative teaching and learning strategies and developed support initiatives to ensure student success. He was a member of the Association of American Colleges and Universities’ Greater Expectations national panel that re-examined baccalaureate education in the United States and the Woodrow Wilson Foundation’s Commission on the High School Senior Year. More recently he has been called upon to co-chair the Century Foundation’s Task Force on Preventing Community Colleges from Becoming Separate and Unequal. He also serves on the National Commission on Higher Education Attainment, the Council on Foreign Relations Task Force on US Education Reform and the National Security, National Governors Association’s Advisory Group for College Completion Initiatives, and the ACE Blue Ribbon Panel on Global Engagement.

President Padrón’s transformational accomplishments at MDC have been acknowledged by the national media including The New York Times, The Washington Post, NBC Nightly News, TIME magazine, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

He currently chairs the board of the Business-Higher Education Forum. He also serves on the boards of the Council on Foreign Relations, RC 2020, White House Fellows Selection Panel (Chair), the International Association of University Presidents, and Achieving the Dream. In past years he has held leadership positions on the boards of the Federal Reserve Board of Atlanta, Miami Branch (past Chair), the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities (Chair), the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the White House Commission on Educational Excellence, Campus Compact, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, The College Board, and the White House/Congressional Commission of the National Museum of the American Latino.

In Florida, Dr. Padrón has served on several gubernatorial commissions and has lent his talents to numerous organizations including the Florida Humanities Council, the Florida Council of Presidents (Chair), the Council of 100, Dade-Miami Criminal Justice Council (Chair), Miami Parking Authority (Chair), the Hispanic American League Against Discrimination (Chair), NAACP (Vice-President), and Greater Miami United (Co-Chair).

Under Dr. Padrón’s leadership, MDC has received national recognition for its longstanding involvement with its urban community, its catalytic effect for social and economic change, and the marked difference the College has made in student access and success through pace-setting initiatives. The most recent recognitions include the CHEA 2011 “Award for Outstanding Institutional Practice in Student Learning Outcomes,” the Washington Center 2010 “Higher Education Civic Engagement Award,” the College Board 2010 “College Keys Compact for Learning Outcomes Initiative,” the Association for General & Liberal Studies 2008 “Exemplary Award for Improving General Education,” the “US President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll” from 2008 to 2011, and the National Center for Digital Education 2008 “Fourth Best College for Digital Transformation.”

Padrón is the recipient of numerous honorary doctorates and prestigious awards. The recent list includes the 2012 Aspen Institute/Ascend Fellowship, the University of Texas 2012 “John Roueche International Leadership Award,” the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 2012 “Sand In My Shoes Award,” the 2008 “Charles Kennedy Equity Award,” the Association of Community College Trustees 2008 “Reginald Wilson Diversity Leadership Award,” the American Council on Education 2008 “Innovator of the Year,” League for Innovation in the Community College, Chair Academy for Leadership Development’s 2005 “Paul A. Elsner Award for International Excellence,” the Hispanic Magazine’s 2004 “Hispanic Achievement Award in Education,” and the Association of Community College Trustee’s 2002 “Chief Executive of the Year” award. He is a prolific writer with countless publications to his credit and serves on the editorial boards of The Presidency, University Business, and Campus Technology.

Padrón has been featured in People magazine as one of the world’s most influential Hispanics, in Hispanic magazine’s list of most powerful Latinos, and in PODER magazine’s report on “Movers and Shakers.”

Board of Advisors

Kevin Reilly, PhD

President Emeritus & Regent ProfessorUniversity of Wisconsin System

Presidential AdvisorAmerican Council on Education

Kevin Reilly serves as the American Council on Education’s (ACE) Presidential Advisor for Leadership, working closely with the President’s office to update and expand the Council’s wide array of programs for college and university chancellors and presidents and other senior leaders. Reilly has served as a member and secretary of ACE’s Board of Directors and as chair of ACE’s Commission on Adult Learning and Educational Credentials. He has been a member of the Board of Directors for the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) and Vice Chair of its Commission on Leadership and Management. He was also a member of the steering committee for four statewide Wisconsin Economic Summits convened by the University of Wisconsin (UW) System. He is currently a member of the Higher Education Working Group on Global Issues for the Council on Foreign Relations, the steering committee for the Celtic Studies Program at UW Madison, and he serves as President of the National Association of System Heads.

Reilly joined ACE in 2014 after nearly a decade as president of the UW System, overseeing an institution that includes two doctoral universities, 11 comprehensive universities, 13 freshman-sophomore UW colleges and the statewide UW-Extension. Before his tenure as president, Reilly served as Chancellor of UW-Extension from July 2000 to August 2004, after serving as Provost and Vice Chancellor of that institution for four years. A native of New York City, he came to Wisconsin from the State University of New York System, where he was Associate Provost for Academic Programs and then Secretary of the university.

In collaboration with the campus chancellors in the System, Reilly developed the “Growth Agenda for Wisconsin,” a long-term vision and strategic plan for what the university needs to do to help Wisconsin and the nation be more competitive in the global knowledge economy. The UW System has been ranked by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems among the five “most productive state systems and public sectors of higher education relative to their resources.”

In 2009, Reilly received the Signature of Excellence Award from UCEA for exemplary service to continuing higher education. Also in 2009, he was named one of the top 100 Irish-American educators by Irish Voice weekly. He has authored and edited books and articles on higher education policy, accreditation, biography and autobiography, and Irish studies.

Reilly earned his BA at the University of Notre Dame and holds an MA and PhD from the University of Minnesota.

Board of Advisors

Charles Rose, JD

Former General CounselUS Department of Education

Charles Rose represents private and public colleges and universities, community colleges, K-12 school districts, and private schools, corporations, education-related businesses, private equity firms, state government agencies and municipalities, foundations, and tribal nations. He advises his clients on matters such as regulatory compliance and reform, education law and policy, corporate transactions, public-private partnerships, employment law, and labor-management relationships. Formerly, Charles served as the General Counsel for the US Department of Education from May 2009 to July 2011, a position nominated by President Obama and unanimously confirmed by the US Senate. As General Counsel, Charles was a senior official in the Obama Administration, advised the US Secretary of Education on all legal, regulatory, and policy matters, and was instrumental in the development and implementation of the Department’s signature education reform initiatives such as Race to the Top. Charles is active in community service and has taught law school courses on Labor Arbitration and Collective Bargaining at DePaul University College of Law as well as graduate level education law courses at Northeastern Illinois University. He is a frequent speaker on education law and policy.

His professional memberships include fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, member of the National Association of College and University Attorneys, member of the National Council of School Attorneys, and member of the American Bar Association. His board memberships include member of the Board of Trustees for the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, member of the Board of Directors for Ponce Health Sciences University, member of the Academic Council at Rasmussen College, member of the Board of Directors at Alliant International University, member of the Board of Trustees at the Academy for Urban School Leadership, member of the Board of Directors at the Alliance for Excellent Education, and member of the Law Firm Advisory Board for BARBRI, Inc.

Board of Advisors

Andy Stern

President EmeritusService Employees International Union

Andy Stern is President Emeritus of the 2.2 million-member Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the fastest-growing union in North America. One of the most connected Democrats in Washington, Stern and SEIU were widely credited for helping elect Barack Obama in 2008. In fact, Stern has visited the White House more frequently than any other single person during the Obama Administration. During his fourteen years atop SEIU, Stern turned it into a potent political force and he was named one of the 50 Most Powerful People in DC. He has been profiled in a cover story of The New York Times Sunday Magazine, as well as on 60 Minutes, Charlie Rose, and Bill Moyers, and in Washingtonian Magazine, McKinsey Associate, Fortune, the Economist, Business Week, Modern Healthcare, and the Washington Post. In September 2009, he was Chris Wallace’s “Power Player of the Week” on Fox News. A frequent guest on The Glenn Beck Show, some have referred to Stern as “Glenn Beck’s worst nightmare.” Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities: Speakers Bureau, Andy Stern addresses audiences about politics and issues such as fiscal policy, entitlements, immigration, healthcare, and the future of the labor movement. Smart, savvy, and articulate, Stern believes in finding common ground with his opponents and in being able to agree without being disagreeable.

As both a labor leader and an activist, Stern is a leading voice and a prominent advocate for people who work. Called a “courageous, visionary leader who charted a bold new course for American unionism,” Stern’s practical solutions to achieve economic opportunity and justice for all workers have earned the respect of workers, business leaders, and policy makers on both sides of the aisle. He is the author of A Country That Works, which outlines a practical, cooperative approach to promote economic growth in America. In early 2010, Stern was appointed by President Obama to the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, along with such luminaries as Alan Simpson, Alice Rivlin, Anne Fudge, and Erskine Bowles.

Under his tenure as president, SEIU bucked the trend and through its signature national and global organizing campaigns Justice for Janitors, There Is No Place Like Home, Kids First, and Sodexo, grew by more than 1.2 million workers, turning traditionally underpaid service work into jobs that can help support a family and lift up a community. During the health care debate, Stern and SEIU were some of the most influential players. He was credited with playing a major role in the bill’s ultimate passage.

Team

Team Members

Jonathan Gyurko, PhD

CEO and FounderACUE

Dr. Gyurko is CEO and Founder of ACUE. He served as an adjunct assistant professor at Teachers College, Columbia University and was the inaugural Harber Fellow in Educational Innovation at Wesleyan University. While teaching college and graduate seminars, Gyurko recognized first-hand the importance and efficacy of high-impact teaching techniques. ACUE’s mission stems from his desire to help more faculty use approaches that will deepen student learning.

While teaching, Gyurko was also President of Leeds Global Partners, an education consultancy. At Leeds, he led major engagements for the Abu Dhabi Education Council, Emirates College for Advanced Education, Gulf University of Bahrain, the New York Immigration Coalition, the Connecticut Department of Education, among other domestic and international clients. Prior to Leeds, Gyurko served as a senior advisor to the President of the United Federation of Teachers and as a senior official with the New York City Department of Education.

Gyurko was a Morehead Scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he earned his BA. He holds an MPA from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a PhD in Politics and Education, also from Columbia. His research and writings have been published by Harvard Education Press, the Politics and Education Association, on Huffington Post, and elsewhere. Gyurko began his career as a teacher at Tiger Kloof School in South Africa.

Team Members

Brad Felix

Chief Product OfficerACUE

Mr. Felix is the Chief Product Officer at ACUE. While a lifelong passion for technology has driven his ed-tech career focus, his experience as an educator “on the inside” of schools revealed to him the gap in teacher preparation that ACUE strives to solve.

Early in his career, Felix served as Vice President of Technology at eCollege, helping architect and build one of the world’s first successful higher education Learning Management Systems. He then spent five years teaching in the classroom, deepening his understanding of the craft of teaching. Felix helped power the growth and development of several educational technology ventures involving student information systems, data warehouses, as well as college publishing. He served as Chief Technology Officer and Chief Learning Officer at Flat World Knowledge, an open content higher education publisher.

Felix earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University, and holds an MA in Educational Technology from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Team Members

Penny MacCormack, EdD

Chief Academic OfficerACUE

Dr. MacCormack is the Chief Academic Officer at ACUE. She has been an educator and a leader at the school district and state level for over 25 years. Motivated by ACUE’s mission to unite quality education and quality teaching, MacCormack’s goal is to provide all college and university instructors with the attention and support they deserve.

Before joining ACUE, MacCormack’s history in academia included roles serving as the Chief Academic Officer for the New Jersey State Department of Education, and as an Adjunct Professor at Southern Connecticut State University and Montclair State University.

MacCormack earned her BS from the University of Connecticut. She holds an MA in Liberal Studies from Albertus Magnus College, a Sixth Year Professional Diploma in Educational Leadership from Southern Connecticut State University, and an EdD in Educational Leadership from the University of Hartford. MacCormack is also the author and co-lead of the College and Career Ready Task Force for the New Jersey Department of Education.

Team Members

Doug Saidenberg

Chief Financial OfficerACUE

Mr. Saidenberg is the Chief Financial Officer at ACUE. Prior to joining ACUE, he worked for four years at Leeds Equity Partners, a private equity firm that invests in the education, training and software industries. With Leeds, Saidenberg evaluated hundreds of companies as prospective investments and also worked closely with a portfolio company focused on improving institutional outcomes across higher education. In these capacities, he saw first-hand the impact and reach great products and services can have. The opportunity to develop an idea into a company striving to improve student and institutional outcomes by improving the quality of instruction is what drew him to ACUE.

Saidenberg graduated from Tulane University’s A.B. Freeman School of Business where he earned a BS in Management and an MS in Finance.

Team Members

Ben Bernstein

Product ManagerACUE

Mr. Bernstein is a Product Manager at ACUE. As an undergraduate, Bernstein became fascinated with the psychological sciences. He wrote his thesis about visuospatial memory and spatial navigation. In 2015, he lectured on this topic at the international Vision Sciences Society annual conference. Bernstein has also co-authored a publication in eLife Sciences on the shared cognitive underpinnings for the perception of numerosity and space. Bernstein is excited to continue applying his passion for the brain and how it learns at ACUE.

Bernstein graduated cum laude from Northwestern University’s Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, where he earned his BA in Cognitive Science with concentrations in Philosophy and Computer Science.

Team Members

Martha Bless, PhD

Academic LeadACUE

Dr. Bless is an Academic Lead at ACUE. She was drawn to ACUE’s mission because her passion is to create transformative learning experiences for educators in order to develop and support their practices and improve student outcomes. An educator for more than eighteen years, Bless is a certified teacher, administrator, and literacy specialist. She has taught high school English and served as Department Chair and as a K-12 District Literacy Coordinator. Since 2010, Bless has taught in the Education Department at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT. She is also a faculty member in the Education Department at Southern Connecticut State University, where she teaches both face-to-face and online courses.

Since 2008, Bless has been working as an Education Consultant, providing faculty development and technical assistance for teachers and administrators throughout the Northeast. She has created and conducted workshops and written participant workbooks to accompany sessions on topics such as educational technology, effective teaching practices, instructional design, evidence-based observation, instructional coaching, literacy across the curriculum, teacher leadership, and more. She has worked with the New Haven, CT Public Schools on implementation of its nationally recognized teacher evaluation system, and has worked with districts across Connecticut to assist them in the development of their educator evaluation systems.

Bless received her PhD in Educational Technology from Walden University. She received her undergraduate degree in English from Post University and Master’s degrees in English and Educational Leadership from Southern Connecticut State University. Her research interests include exploring the role of technology in helping faculty and administrators improve student learning and support professional growth.

Team Members

Julie Candio Sekel

Communications ManagerACUE

Ms. Candio Sekel is a Developmental Editor at ACUE. She teaches at Ramapo College of New Jersey, has previously worked as an instructor at Montclair State University, and served as a supplemental instructor for Ramapo College’s Educational Opportunity Fund program. She constantly reassesses and improves her own pedagogy to empower students and is driven to encourage other instructors to do the same. Candio Sekel’s passion for engaging and challenging students, along with her goal of meeting the needs of diverse learners, brought her to ACUE.

Candio Sekel works as a professional writing consultant and web editor in the Center for Writing Excellence at Montclair State University and as the editorial assistant for Business and Professional Communication Quarterly. Previously, she served as the Assistant Development Editor of Curriculum Development in the Digital Custom Solutions group at John Wiley & Sons and as a professional writing consultant in the Center for Reading and Writing at Ramapo College.

Candio Sekel graduated summa cum laude from Ramapo College, where she earned her BA in Communication Arts with a Writing concentration. She holds an MA in English with a Writing Studies concentration from Montclair State University. Candio Sekel presented her original research on the best practices for teaching writing to college students with acquired brain injuries at the Conference on College Composition and Communication. She has also published work on iPad apps for laryngectomy patients and has an IRB-approved study in progress that focuses on an online writing community she developed for laryngectomy patients.

Team Members

Elizabeth Connolly

Regional Director of Institutional PartnershipsACUE

Ms. Connolly is a Regional Director of Institutional Partnerships for ACUE. She has worked at several higher education institutions, beginning her career as an administrator and adjunct faculty member, and spent more than two decades devoted to fostering student success. Her passion for supporting institutional missions of improving student outcomes drew her to ACUE.

Most recently, Connolly represented multiple organizations in developing and fostering relationships with stakeholders at all levels within higher education. Her work has included introducing innovative tools related to eLearning, effective LMS implementation and usage, and student retention, most notably as a Regional Sales Manager for Starfish Retention Solutions. A gifted professional speaker, Connolly has presented at numerous professional development events.

She earned her BA in theatre from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. She holds an MA in Liberal Studies from Nova Southeastern University.

Team Members

Bracy Dutton

Regional Director of Institutional PartnershipsACUE

Mr. Dutton is a Regional Director of Institutional Partnerships for ACUE. He has spent over 14 years working within Higher Education and specifically partnering with universities in identifying technology solutions to further improve student success and learning outcomes.

For 7 years, he held various roles at Echo360 to help instructors facilitate better use of class instruction in order to improve student engagement before, during and after class. Prior to joining ACUE, Mr. Dutton served as Director of Partner Education for EverFi, a Washington, D.C. based company that served to connect learners to the real world by equipping users with the skills they need for success during time in the classroom and beyond.

Mr. Dutton earned his MA from Marymount University and BA from Salisbury University.

Team Members

Kevin Kelly, EdD

Educational AdvisorACUE

Dr. Kelly is the Educational Advisor at ACUE. He serves as a Lecturer in Education at San Francisco State University, where he has taught graduate and undergraduate classes since 1999, and has taught at Santa Clara University as well. Throughout almost 20 years in higher education, Kelly has advanced and supported professional development efforts for higher education faculty and campus leaders. Immediate alignment with both ACUE’s mission and the team’s passion attracted him to join.

Kelly was Director of Wiley Learning Institute at John Wiley & Sons, where he and his team forged strong partnerships with higher education institutions, built a subscription library and provided interactive online events with content by renowned authors and educational thought leaders. Prior to Wiley Learning Institute, Kelly served for over 12 years at San Francisco State University, managing two Academic Technology teams—Online Teaching & Learning, and Media Distribution & Support—leading the faculty development center, and co-directing a federal grant project funded through the US Department of Education. He has facilitated dozens of workshops and presentations nationally and internationally, at higher education institutions and online.

Kelly was a Regents Scholar at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he earned his BA. He holds an MA in Instructional Technologies from San Francisco State University and an EdD in Organization & Leadership from University of San Francisco. Kelly has published numerous peer-reviewed book chapters and journal articles related to teaching, learning, and technology, and was a lead editor of the collaboratively authored book, Education for a Digital World 2.0: Innovations in Education. He has also published several online courses for the Education channel at Lynda.com.

Team Members

Carmen Macharaschwili, PhD

Regional Director of Academic ProgramsACUE

Dr. Macharaschwili is the Regional Director of Academic Programs for ACUE. She has dedicated her career to the study of teaching and learning working with students and training teachers from the elementary school level through graduate school. Macharaschwili is inspired by how effective teaching practice makes an incredible impact on student learning. Initially a consumer of ACUE resources through work with fellow faculty members in the development of a First-Year College Seminar program, she is thrilled to be able to share her experience and expertise in serving faculty and students in her native Midwest region.

Macharaschwili is a certified teacher, administrator, and educational consultant. She served as a tenured professor and Department Chair of Education at Holy Cross College, and as a professor in the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education. Her research includes the study of the effectiveness of online and blended learning environments. Other research interests include professional development, first-generation and minority student success, language learning, New Literacy Studies, and the implementation of best practice in teaching and learning.

Macharaschwili earned a BS in Elementary Education from Indiana University, Bloomington with a bilingual endorsement and a specialty in Spanish. She holds an MSEd in Elementary Education and an Administrator’s License from Indiana University, South Bend. She returned to Bloomington to complete her PhD in Language, Literacy, and Culture Education with a minor in Educational Leadership. Her strengths and experiences are in the implementation of innovative programming to promote student success through collaboration and innovation. She is passionate about advocating for students by supporting those who teach them.

Team Members

Brigid McCarthy

Director of AdministrationACUE

Ms. McCarthy is the Director of Administration at ACUE. She brings to this role more than 20 years of experience as a senior level Executive Assistant and Project Coordinator in the financial sector. Prior, she served as an agent in the Motion Picture, Television and Theatre Division of ICM (International Creative Management), one of the largest talent agencies in the world.

McCarthy’s background also includes education. She served as the Chairman of the Movement and Co-Chairman of the Musical Theatre Departments at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the oldest school of theatre in the English-speaking world. As a 1977 graduate of the Academy, she enjoyed a very successful career in motion pictures, television and theatre.

Team Members

Tori Meyer

Partnerships CoordinatorACUE

Ms. Meyer is the Partnerships Coordinator at ACUE. She became interested in different teaching and learning styles as a result of her own undergraduate experiences. During her time spent studying in New York, Florence, Venice, and New Delhi, she has had the opportunity to experience a wide range of teaching styles and abilities. She is very excited to work for a company dedicated to improving teaching and student success.

Meyer graduated from Columbia University, where she earned her BA in Art History. In the past she has worked for The Jewish Museum and Save Venice, Inc.

Team Members

Peter Nowka

Regional Director of Institutional PartnershipsACUE

Mr. Nowka is a Regional Director of Institutional Partnerships for ACUE. He has spent over 24 years within the educational community, primarily in higher education. His passion for fostering instructional excellence in order to catalyze learning has guided his professional career and is what ultimately led him to ACUE.

Nowka has performed a diverse set of roles throughout his career, both within education and otherwise. He started in a collegiate coaching role and continued to academic publishing sales and an acquisition editor before co-founding a curriculum development company. His most recent work has been as a managing partner of an educational consulting group.

Nowka earned his BS from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Currently, he is finalizing an MEd for Higher and Adult Education from Arizona State University.

Team Members

Laurie Pendleton

Director of Content DevelopmentACUE

Ms. Pendleton is a Director of Content Development at ACUE. She has over 25 years of experience in education as a classroom teacher, building leader, and professional development specialist. For the last 18 years, she has supported schools throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates in the implementation of school reform efforts. Through this work, she has witnessed the impact of effective professional development on the improvement of teaching and learning and, ultimately, on teacher satisfaction and student achievement. She believes ACUE’s focus on the practical application of researched-based best practices along with a rich video library will support the work of University educators.

For five years, Pendleton has served as a Professional Development Associate for the Leadership and Learning Center, a subsidiary of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Prior to that, she worked with Leeds Global Partners to create and deliver Professional Development for effective teaching practices in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. She also held a variety of positions in the Education department of EdisonLearning, a national educational management organization.

Pendleton received her undergraduate degree from the University of Maine at Farmington, was a member of the first cohort in the Educational Leadership Program at the University of Maine at Orono, and holds an MS in Curriculum and Instruction through Capella University. Laurie is currently serving as a member on the Maine State Charter School Commission.

Team Members

Tricia Russ

Executive Director of Institutional PartnershipsACUE

Ms. Russ is the Executive Director of Institutional Partnerships at ACUE. She has spent the majority of her career building relationships and collaborating with stakeholders at every level in higher education. Driven by her passion to meet the educational needs of college and university students, Russ was immediately drawn to ACUE’s mission of improving student outcomes through implementation of effective teaching practices in the classroom.

Most recently, Russ served as a Partnership Director at Cengage Learning. It was at Cengage that she was responsible for sourcing, developing, and growing institutional partnerships. She supported institutions to achieve their strategic goals by developing custom curriculum models, faculty training initiatives, LMS integration solutions, and customer-centric business plans. Previously, Russ also served as the Director of Institutional Partnerships for Flat World Knowledge, Inc.

Team Members

Tiffany Shen

Accounting and Operations AssistantACUE

Ms. Shen is the Accounting and Operations Assistant at ACUE. She has several years of experience working as an accountant at CPA firms where she prepared and analyzed financial statements for clients ranging from individuals to private companies.

Shen graduated from Oklahoma State University where she earned her BS in Finance with a minor in Accounting.

Team Members

Meghan Snow

Director, Programs and EvaluationACUE

Ms. Snow is the Director of Programs and Evaluation at ACUE. She began her career in education as a classroom teacher and has worked in various district leadership positions. Snow began her focus on education policy when she studied at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and went on to state leadership, serving three and a half years as the Director of STEM at the New Jersey Department of Education.

Snow was drawn to ACUE by the focus on improving student outcomes across the country through innovative and high quality professional learning.

Snow earned her BS in Biology and BA in Philosophy from Villanova University. She holds an EdM in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and an MEd in Educational Leadership from Sam Houston State University.

Team Members

Emily Sologuren

Partnership DirectorACUE

Ms. Sologuren brings more than ten years of experience in Higher Education to ACUE. She began her career at McGraw-Hill Education where she held editorial and marketing roles, but ultimately pursued sales, where she felt she could make the most impact. She has sold content spanning social sciences to world languages to STEM. Her work with McGraw-Hill, Houghton Mifflin and Cengage Learning allowed her to work directly with professors to help them choose the best content for student success. In that role, Ms. Sologuren observed first-hand the strong link between student engagement and retention to effective instruction. The best-selling textbook or digital solution cannot supplant quality teaching; whether online or in-person.

For 3 years, she was a District Manager with Cengage Learning, heading a team of learning consultants and implementation specialists. As she furthered her reach across the northeast United States, she continued to witness the shared challenges amongst all types of higher education institutions. Most recently, Ms. Sologuren worked with a K-12 learning management system, leaving her impressed by the professional development and support K-12 educators receive to stay current in their teaching practice. When she learned of ACUE’s mission to improve student outcomes through implementation of effective teaching practices in the classroom, she knew it was time to return to higher education and join this purposeful work.

Ms. Sologuren received her BA in English from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey, with a writing certificate and minor in Communication.

Team Members

Melissa Zantello

Executive Director for Program DevelopmentACUE

Ms. Zantello provides faculty development, curriculum design, and facilitation expertise for ACUE. She serves as Faculty at the University of Phoenix and was the General Education Department Chair at Davenport University. As an avid advocate for faculty and a faculty member herself, Zantello’s passion lies in creating and delivering content and programs that assist higher education faculty to increase their students’ success while developing their own careers – a passion that led her to ACUE.

Zantello was the founder and Executive Director of TeamUP, a group of experienced educators committed to fostering faculty engagement through professional development, consulting and the sharing of best practices (a part of Houghton Mifflin College Division and later, Cengage Learning). She has delivered numerous presentations and workshops across the country at national events, on college campuses, and online.

Zantello graduated from the University of Michigan where she earned a BA in English with a minor in Education. She also holds an MA in English and an MFA in Writing from Western Michigan University where she helped develop and deliver orientation programs for Teaching Assistants. Throughout her career, she has been actively involved in working with first-year programs, developmental education, online learning, assessment, active learning strategies, technology, and curriculum design and redesign.